When it comes to a keyboard enthusiast’s dream keyboard, a Realforce is often at the top of the list. These keyboards are expensive and available in relatively limited quantities, but their impressive build quality and capacitive switches have been able to win people over. And yes, that’s right, electrostatic capacitive switches, not mechanical, which is what choosy keyboard users are normally looking for (as with the IBM Model M, Das Keyboard, or Filco Majestouch).

The 87U uses the Topre switches, which is basically a high-end rubber dome with a spring under it and a capacitive switch. It has 87 keys which means no physical number pad, but like IBM’s famous Space Saving Model M the numbers are doubled mapped onto the keyboard. So when you hit Num Lock J becomes 1, U becomes 4, and 7, well, it’s still 7. Additionally N is 0 and M is 00 so in some ways it’s better than a tradition number pad, though the layout takes some getting used to. The important thing is that this reduces the size of the keyboard to just about 14 inches wide. It also has a USB connection.

This review isn’t going to get too much into the technology behind the switches because all the information that you could ever want is available here. The important thing to take away from this article is that the Realforce is essentially a rubber dome keyboard. Yes, the $270 Realforce keyboards shares some small bit of switch technology with that $10 Dell model that got you looking for a better keyboard in the first place. While there is some irony here, don’t get too hung up on it–the Topre switches make for one of the best feeling keyboards on the market today.

Here are two more interesting things to note about the Topre switches on the Realforce. The first is that they are precision-tuned to the strength of your fingers, so that they will be harder to press in the middle of the keyboard where your fingers are stronger and easier to press towards the outside. Keys that you won’t want to accidentally press are even firmer, so the Escape key requires a 55 grams of pressure while the “]” requires an effortless 35 grams. A keyboard with uniform 55 gram switches is available if the variable layout is not for you. The second thing to know about the Topre switches is that they are also used in the Happy Hacking Keyboard Professional 2, a keyboard that is a bit more well known here in the US.

The switches may be cool, but Topre didn’t slack off with the rest of the keyboard. The whole thing is built extremely well, but not in the way that a Model M or similar old-school board is (you know, they feel like you could knock a hole in a wall with one). The Realforce is substantial and solid. It’s also heavier than you would expect. The coloring is a cool black-on-black (well more like a black on really dark grey) that is visible, but quite close to being a blank keyboard.

Aside from the impressive build quality what really stands out are the details. You might be thinking that a keyboard is a keyboard, but someone put a lot of thought into this one. For example, the indicator LEDs on the Caps Lock and Num Lock are blue LEDs built right into the switch, not placed on the top right corner. Also the keycaps are of an extremely high quality, giving them a sort of satin finish that is clearly nicer than those found on something like the Filco. The keyboard also includes a key puller (for swapping keycaps) and a few extra keys. Users get a red escape key, blueish-purple WASD keys, and alternate Ctrl and Caps Locks keys. Using switches placed on the underside of the keyboard you can remap the Caps Lock as Ctrl and vice versa (this is a popular swap for typists and it’s found on the Happy Hacker). After you flip the switches the alternate keys allow your hardware to reflect the change.

For the first week or so the Topre switches just feel like a really refined rubber dome. They have a soft landing and a nice return, plus a tactile point. The point isn’t as noticeable as on mechanical keyboards, say something with Cherry blue switches. There is a noticeable difference between the stiffer keys (like those in the middle of the keyboard versus those towards the outsides), but those melt away when you are typing and your relative finger strength takes over.

After some time using the Realforce (some of it inevitably spent questioning your purchase), it changes. The keyboard breaks in–it gets a bit louder, the sound is a bit deeper (the “thock” that Topre users know and love), and the key feel improves. It’s less like a rubber dome and closer to what you were probably expecting. The feel of the keys is very light, but responsive and tactile. Moving from the Topres to another switch can become an unpleasant experierce, in the very least you’ll need some adjustment time. After you get used to the variable switch pressures most people learn to enjoy them. They aren’t ideal for gaming, but they take pressure off your weaker fingers and should cut down on muscle strain.

If any flaws had to be pointed out (and it’s hard not to when a keyboard costs this much), I’d mention the black-on-black characters. Yes, they look cool, but if you are taking the time to look down at the keys you want to see something, so this can be annoying in anything other than full light. A white/grey 103-key model available in Japan, but it’s a very staid color scheme. It’s not nearly as cool as the white Happy Hacker that is currently available. My other issue with the Realforce is that the rubber feet on the keyboard are quite small. This can lead to some sliding on the desk if you aren’t careful. This is easy enough to fix with some non-slip shelf liner, but it shouldn’t need fixing in the first place.

Delivering a verdict on the Realforce is no easy task. On one hand, it’s an impressive keyboard–it’s built just about as good (if not better than) any modern keyboard and the feel of the switches is like nothing else on the market. The extras, like the in-key LEDs, included red Escape key, and layout customizing DIP switches might not be huge, but they are the sort of perks that should be on a premium product. Not factoring in the price, the Realforce 87U is a unique keyboard that offers a fantastic typing experience.

But in the real world, the price matters. A $267 keyboard is hard to justify when great keyboards can be had for not much more than $100 and very good ones can be purchased for well under $100. Dollar-for-dollar the Realforce just can’t compete, but it’s a premium product not a value proposition. If you factor in how long a keyboard lasts and how much time you spend at your computer, it might dull the blow of the initial purchase, but you have to be a dedicated typist to justify it. This is doubly true considering that the tenkeyless 87U comes in at a $39 premium over the larger 103-key models.

At the end of the day, the Realforce is a great keyboard, but it’s not for everyone. If you can, try before you buy–you’ll know in just a few minutes if it’s for you or not.

Realforce keyboards are available in the USA from EliteKeyboards. They sell out fast and they are available in limited quantities so you might have to check in now and then if you want to pick one up. The 87-key model sells for $267 while the 103-key goes for $228. The larger keyboard is available in old-school white-and-gray colors as the SE0200.

Do you know where one can order replacement key caps for the Realforce?

DP

The Realforce 86U is my new favorite keyboard. Really lovely key action, very pleasant, almost addictive. My second favorite is an old Strongman SMK-85E — the original version, not the crummy replacement — with black Alps keys. In comparison, the Realforce has a lighter touch (but not too light).

I also have a blue cherry switch Das Keyboard — nice, but heavy and it has a slight “ringing” sound to it — and a Model M. Maybe I’d like the Model M better if I didn’t type with the keyboard on my lap, which I like to do because it reduces wrist fatigue. The Model M is just too big and heavy to use that way. The Realforce is suitably compact and a good size compromise. The Strongman is even more compact; it’s a shame you can’t get a new “real” one any more.